The Trust, NIEL and NPC worked together to produce research into the potential for social investment for the Northern Ireland Environment sector.

The Potential for Social Investment for the Northern Ireland Environment Sector

12 April 2016

The Building Change Trust in partnership with Northern Ireland Environment Link welcome the launch of a new report on ‘The Potential For Social Investment to Finance The Environment NGO Sector in Northern Ireland’.

The research undertaken by New Philanthropy Capital includes an analysis of the current financing for environmental NGOs and considers new and alternative forms of finance, such as an Environment Fund, to support activities in the future.

Representatives from the environment, social investment and wider charity sector will gather in Clifton House tomorrow, Wednesday, 13th April 2016, to consider the findings of the research and the key recommendations made by NPC to assist environmental NGO’s become investment ready in the future.

Nigel McKinney, Director of Operations at Building Change Trust commented: “Since our inception in 2008, we have believed how the Northern Ireland Community, Voluntary and Social Enterprise sector finances itself is a key issue in how it will develop and change for the better.

"This research is the latest piece of work in our Social Finance theme and we are delighted to have worked with NPC and NIEL.

“Between now and when we close our doors in 2018, we hope to see even more innovation and development into how VCSE organisations finance and sustain themselves”.

Craig McGuicken, Chief Executive of NIEL said: “Over the past few years, NIEL has been exploring ways to help the environment sector become more financially resilient, and social finance is likely to be part of the long term solution.

“We welcome the NPC report on the potential opportunities for social investment to resource environmental activities and look forward to working with key partners to implement the recommendations to support our membership”.

Abi Rotheroe, a senior consultant at NPC and co-author of the new report, said: “In such a tough fundraising landscape , enterprises clearly need to be a bit more innovative in thinking about raising money. Our research found a real appetite for looking at social investment and alternative forms of funding, and hopefully NPC’s recommendations can help support the sector to do this going forward”.

The Building Change Trust is a charity registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC103379 , its corporate Trustee, Building Change Trust Limited is registered as a company limited by guarantee in Northern Ireland NI071182

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